Winch



May 28, 1957 2,793,740

C. H. DAUDT WINCH Filed Feb. 23, 1954 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States "Patent:

WINCH Charles H. Daudt, Huntington, N. Y. Application February 23, 1954, serial No. 412,007

7 claims. (Cl. 203-399) This invention relates to a type of winch to be used in the handling of lines on boats, especially small sailing yachts.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a winch which eliminates the need for a separate means, such as a crank, to provide additional leverage when taking in a line.

Another object of this invention is to provide a Winch which has the usual ratchet means allowing rotation of the winch in only one direction but which has a simplified means for releasing the ratchet when it is desired that the winch rotate freely and in which the ratchet means is reset by itself when the winch is again used in the normal manner.

A further object of this invention is to provide a circular cleat operatively associated with the Winch that is self-releasing when line is payed out.

A further object of the invention is to provide a winch having the above features and which can be released for paying out line froi any position in the boat without the possibility of the line fouling on the winch or on any of its associated parts.

Other and further objects of the invention will be seen upon consideration of the below description, and the accompanying drawings.

These drawings are:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the winch with the line secured about it prior to release;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig, 1 but without the rope;

Fig. 3 is a top elevation of the winch, partially cut away to show additional structure;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2 showing the winch in its locked or ratchet position;

Fig. 5 is a section taken along line 4 4 of Fig. 2 showing the winch in its released position.

In general, this invention relates to a winch 1, as shown in Fig. l, which has a lower winding drum 2 for receiving a line 24, the line being for instance the jib sheet of a sailing vessel. Above the winding drum, and preferably integral therewith, is a second drum, a leverage drum 3, about which the line may be wound after passing about the lower Winding drum. Since the diameter and circumference of the leverage drum is greater than the diameter and circumference of the winding drum, a mechanical advantage is obtained when the line is pulled after having passed about both drums rather than just about the winding drum.

As is usual in Winches used for this purpose, this winch is preferably designed to be used with the line wound in a clockwise direction, as viewed from above and as shown in Fig. 1. That is, the ratchet means ordinarily locks and prevents rotation of the drums in a counterclockwise direction. Under these circumstances, the line may be secured in the winch jam cleat located above but concentric with the leverage drum, after it has been passed around the leverage drum.

The winch has a second type of jam cleat structure 28 Ice located in a space within the first. This jam cleat, formed upon a releasing drum 27, serves as the means of releasing the main ratchet means. When it is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, it allows the leverage and Winding drums to rotate freely in a counterclockwise direction, by a mechanism to be later described. The cleat on this releasing drum allows the drum to be secured to a line and so enables the winch to be released at a distance. Y

As shown in the drawings and especially in Fig. 1 and Y Fig. 2, the winch of this invention is depicted generally by the numeral 1. This winch has a winding or lower drum 2 and a leverage or upper drum 3 of greater diameter. Preferably the diameter of the leverage drum will be three times that of the winding drum. As shown, the winding and leverage drums are formed of one piece 17. This unitary structure 17 is rotatably mountedr on axle 6; and axle 6 is preferably unitary with the base portion 4. Base 4 is secured to the deck of the vessel or at any other desired place by screws 8 passing through screw holes 9. A retaining screw 7 is mounted in the upper portion of axle 6 and the head of screw 7 retains sleeve 5 and releasing drum 27 in position.

The drum structure 17 and the sleeve 5 are free to rotate about axle 6 and are independent of each other. However, for purposes to be described below, it is desirable that there be some frictional contact between sleeve 5 and piece 17. This friction need not be great as long as the total frictional resistance between part 17 and sleeve 5 is greater than that between sleeve 5 and axle 6.

The lower winding drum 2 is adapted to receive the line A24 to be wound around the winch. It has'a flange 10 at its lower edge and a flange 11 at its upper edge for retaining the line -on Winding drum 2. The winding drum 2 preferably has a slight taper, with its lower diameter slightly smaller than its upper diameter so that the line 24 will wind more evenly about the drum.

Flange 11 is enlarged outwardly from winding drum 2 to form anupper or leverage drum 3, of greater diameter than winding drum 2. Leverage drum 3 has lower ange 12 and upper flange 13 to retain the line 24 upondrum 3.

Formed about flange 13 but preferably also being part of unitary structure 17 is the circular jam or pinch cleat 21. This cleat is formed by the annular surfaces 22 and 23, the former being preferably simply the upper side of retaining flange 13. As shown in Fig. 2, surfaces 22 and 23 converge generally toward each other as they approach their axis. The distance between surfaces 22v and 23 at the inner portion of jam cleat 21 should be less than the normal diameter of the line 24 that is used on the winch, enabling the cleat 21 to grip and hold a line forcibly placed within the cleat.

Flanges 12 and 13 of the leverage drum 3 are provided with line-admitting notches 14 and 15, respectively, as best shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. These notches, as will be described below, prevent the line from slipping along the circumferences of anges 12 and 13 as the line 24 is passed from winding drum 1 to leverage drum 3 and from leverage drum 3 to the circular cleat 21. This is especially important when the line is under tension.

Mounted about sleeve 5 above piece 17, and preferably in a space 18 defined within the circular jam cleat 21, is a line-gripping releasing drum 27. This releasing drum 27 is held in position on sleeve 5 by the head of the retaining screw 7. It is keyed to sleeve 5 by key 29 fitting in key slot 30, thus preventing relative rotary motion between the releasing drum 27 and sleeve 5. Releasing drum 27 has an annular pinch cleat or slot 28 so dimensioned as to grip and hold the line 24 when forced within the slot 25. 'Ihe structure and gripping action of cleat 28 are comparableto that of the circular jam cleat 21.

Preferably the lower surface of drum 27 rests upon the upper surface of the winding leverage drum unit 17 at point 31, as shown in Fig. 2.

It can be seen, therefore, that the releasing drum 27 may be rotated independently ofthe winding and leverage drumr unit 117 and aXle but not independently of sleeve 5'.

Drainholes 32, 33 andv 34 are provided to allow drainage; ofl any watery entering the space 18, the cleat 28 or thecleat'ZI', respectively, as shown` in Fig. 2. Preferably there are three of eachl of these holes located 120 apart. It is preferable that holes` 32, 33 and 34 be in the form of= truncated cones with their wider diameters in their lower portions to allow for the more ready release of any small particles which may enter into space 18, cleat 211, or cleat 28.

The ratchet means for this winch is shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5. Ratchet teeth 39 are formed on the inner surface of the lower portion 38 of ange 10. Pivotally mounted on the upper surface 40 of base 4 is a pawl 41 mounted on pivot 42. Pawl 41 has an engaging edge 43 for engagement with teeth 39. It is normally held against teeth 39 by leaf spring 52, secured by pins 53 and' 54. The pins themselves are mounted in and through base 4 and surface 40. Fig. 4 shows pawl 41 engaging one of teeth 39 and so preventing counterclockwise rotation of unit 17.

Pawl 41 has an inner arcuate cam surface 44. This surfacev is shaped to cooperate with cam surface 48 on releasing cam 47. Releasing cam 47 itself is secured to sleeve 5. Stop pin 49 is mounted, in and through base 4 and surface 40 to limit the motion of the cam 47 between cooperating surfaces 50 and 51.

In Fig. 5 cam surface 48 is shown in cooperating contact with cam surface 44 of pawl 41l so as to release the ratchet action of pawl 41 upon teeth 39. Under these circumstances, unit 17, including winding drum 2 and leverage drum 3, is enabled to rotate freely counterclockwise.

It will be seen that cam surface 48 engages with cam surface4 44 throughout substantially the entire length of surface 44. This serves to immobilize pawl 41 against any motion, avoiding any possibility of accidental engagement of pawl 41 and teeth 39.

When the winch is to be used,V the line 24 is wound clockwise about winding drum 2 in the usual manner. As is usual with simple Winches, when slight tension is kept upon the free end 26 of line 24, the friction between winding drum 2k and line 24 will serve to hold line 24 against motionrelative to drum 2. The line canV then be pulled in on winding drum 2 and, since the drum will not now rotate counter-clockwise, can easily be held as trimmed.

In manyv instances, such as in trimming. a jib sheet, it is necessary to have additional leverage for the last bit of trimming. This is accomplished by takingy afew turns of the line about leverage drum 3 after it isl passed around winding drum 2. The line is led to leverage drum 3 from drum 2 through: one. of the notches 14. Thus. it can be seen that when the line 24Ais pulled upon after having passed around both drums. a mechanical advantage is provided` as between the portion of the line actually pulled from the leverage drumby the person using the winch and the portion of the line forming the jib sheet proper.

After the sheet or other line has been trimmed sufciently, the line may be led through notch 14 to circular jam cleat 21 and, by application of a small amount of force, wedged within cleat 21,` thus securing line 24 against its paying out.

Either at that time or just before it is desired to release line 24 from the Winch, a bight 25 of the line 24 t is secured to the cleat 28 in releasing 'drum 27 in a counter-clockwise direction,v as shown in Fig. l. Thus, by applying a small amount ofk force to the freeend 26 ofthe line 24, releasing drum 27 will be rotated in a counter-clockwise directionl and will release the ratchet 4 means, i. e. pawl 41, of the winch, allowing drums 2 and 3 to rotate freely in a counter-clockwise direction.

The operation of the ratchet means is as follows: With the line 24 wound about winding drum 2 but not about releasing drum 27 and tension applied, the winding drum will be rotated. Here, the rotation will be in a clockwise direction since the tension is applied to free end 26. Under these circumstances pawl 41 will allow the teeth 39 to pass by it. When rotation is stopped, however, spring 52, acting upon pawl 41, will cause the engaging portion 43 of the pawl to mesh with one of teeth 39 and to prevent counter-clockwise rotation of unit 17 of which teeth 39 are a part.

When, however, releasing drum 27 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, either with the hand or by means of tension on bight 25 of the line 24, as above described, it will rotate sleeve 5 counter-clockwise, since it is carried by and attached to that sleeve. This counterclockwise rotation accordingly rotates releasing cam 47 and causes cam surface 48 of releasing cam 47 to engage withthe inner arcuate cam surface 44 of pawl 41. This rotation may be continued until stop surface 51 engages with pin 49 as shown in Fig. 5. When releasing cam 47 in this position, pawl 41' has been pressed against the action of spring 52 and thereby edge 43 is disengaged from teeth 39. This action releases the winch unit 17, allowing it to move freely in a counter-clockwise direction as a result. of tension in line 24.

Line 24 then freely pays olf winding drum 2, leverage drum 3 and' jam cleat 21', the latter occurring due to the counter-clockwise rotation and the tension on the line. It will be released from slot 2.8 of the releasing drum 27 by centrifugal and counter-clockwise force on that portion of line 26 between slot 21 of the circular jam cleat and slot 28 of the releasing drum 27'.

The friction between the inner surface of unit 17 and sleeve 5 serves to keep sleeve 5 tending in a counter-clockwise direction during the period that line is beingl unwound from winding drum 2 and leverage drum 3. This counter-clockwise torque on sleeve 5 in turn keeps cam 47 engaged with pawl' 41, thus maintaining the ratchet in released position.

Due to the mushroom-like shape of the winch 1, the line, in being released, moves upwardly and away from the winch and so avoids fouling. This action is believed to. be caused by the centrifugal force on the line 24 resulting from the relatively high peripheral velocity of the leverage drum 3 unwinding the line with the loose end of the line 26 above winch 1.

The next time it is desired to utilize the winch, the line is again wound clockwise around winding drum 2. Upon the application of the pull necessary to trim in the line, winding drum 2 and unit 17 are rotatedY clockwise. Due to the friction between the inner surface of unit 17 and sleeve 5, sleeve 5, carrying releasing drum 27 and the releasing cam 47, is rotated clockwise until surface 50 of cam 475 contacts pin 49. With this rotation, releasing cam 47' is removed from operative engagement with the pawl 41, and, due to the action of spring 52, pawl 41 again engages with teeth 39. Consequently, once again the winding drum 2 and the leverage drum 3 forming the unit 17 will be limited to clockwise rotation by the pawl 41 and teeth 39 combination and so act asa winch. The procedure above outlined for use of the leverage drum 3, circular jam cleat 21 and releasing drum 27 may then be repeated.

As can be seen, the winding drum 2 may be rotated clockwise, to engage the pawl 41, by hand as well as by use of line 24, if desired. This hand rotation also applies to the counter-clockwise rotation of the releasing drum 27, to release the pawl 21 for free rotation of winding drum 2.

Various. modifications of the above described invention may be made, of course, without departing from the spirit thereof.

groef/4o l claim:

1. A device of the character described inoluding a winch base, a Winding drum rotatably mounted on said base, a ratchet associated with said winding drum normally allowing rotation of said drum in but one direction, and a ratchet releaser operatively associated with said ratchet, said winding drum and said ratchet releaser being frictionally associated so that rotation of said winding drum in its released direction serves to maintain said ratchet releaser in its releasing position and subsequent rotation of said winding drum in its normal direction disengages said ratchet releaser from said ratchet.

2. A winch including a base, an axle secured to said base, a sleeve rotatably and frictionally mounted on said axle, a winding drum rotatably and frictionally mounted on said sleeve, the friction between said drum and said sleeve being greater than the friction between said sleeve and said axle, ratchet means associated with said drum and said base normally allowing rotation of said drum in only one direction relative to said base, and ratchet releasing means rotatable with said sleeve and operatively associated with said ratchet means, so constructed and arranged that rotation of said sleeve in a direction opposite to that of free rotation of said winding drum causes said ratchet releasing means to release said ratchet means and rotation of said sleeve in the opposite direction makes said ratchet releasing means inoperative.

3. A winch including .a base, an axle secured to said base, a sleeve rotatably and frictionally mounted on said axle, a winding drum rotatably and frictional'ly mounted on said sleeve, the friction between said drum and said sleeve being greater than the friction between said sleeve and said axle, ratchet means associated with said drum and said base normally allowing rotation of said drum in only one direction relative to said base, ratchet releasing means rotatable with said sleeve and operatively associated with said ratchet means, so constructed and arranged that rotation of said sleeve in a direction opposite to that of free rotation of said winding drum causes said ratchet releasing means to release said ratchet means and rotation of said sleeve in the opposite direction makes said ratchet releasing means inoperative, the friction between said drurn and said sleeve serving to maintain said ratchet releasing means in its releasing position when said winding drum is rotated in its released direction and serving to disengage said ratchet releasing means from said ratchet upon subsequent rotation of said winding drum in its normal direction. v

4. A winch including a base, an axle secured to said base, a sleeve rotatably and frictionally mounted on said axle, a winding drum rotatably and fiictionally mounted on said sleeve, the friction between said drum and said sleeve being greater than the friction between said sleeve and said axle, ratchet means associated with said drum and said base normally allowing rotation of said drum in only one direction relative to said base, ratchet releasing means rotatable with said sleeve and operatively associated with said ratchet means, so constructed and arranged that rotation of said sleeve in a direction opposite to that of free rotation of said winding drum causes said ratchet releasing means to release said ratchet means and rotation of said sleeve in the opposite direction makes said ratchet releasing means inoperative, and a circular cleat secured to said sleeve and having the same axis of rotation as said sleeve, said cleat being adapted to hold a line so that tension upon said line may be used to actuate said ratchet releasing means.

5. A winch including a base, an axle secured to said base, a sleeve rotatably and frictionally mounted on said axle, a winding drum rotatably and frictionally mounted on said sleeve, the friction between said drum and said sleeve being greater than the friction between said sleeve and said axle, ratchet teeth on said winding drum proximate to said base, a spring-pressed pawl pivotally mounted on said base and normally engaging with said teeth so that said drum may normally rotate in only one direction relative to said base, a releasing cam secured to said sleeve adjacent said base and capable of acting upon said pawl to disengage san-1e from said teeth, stop means on said base limiting the arc of rotation of said cam, said pawl and said cam being so constructed and arranged that rotation of said sleeve in a direction opposite to that of free rotation of said winding drum causes said cam to engage with said pawl and to disengage the latter from said teeth and subsequent rotation of said winding drum in its normally free rotation will cause said sleeve and said cam to rotate and thereby disengage said cam and said pawl.

6. A Winch including a base, an axle secured to said base, a sleeve rotatably and frictionally mounted on said axle, a winding drum rotatably and frictionally mounted on said sleeve, the friction between said drum and said sleeve being greater than the friction between said sleeve and said axle, ratchet teeth on said winding drum proximate to said base, a spring-pressed pawl pivotally mounted on said base and normally engaging with said teeth so that said drum may normally rotate in only one direction relative to said base, a releasing cam secured to said sleeve adjacent said base and capable of acting upon said pawl to disengage same from said teeth, stop means on said base limiting the arc of rotation of said cam, said pawl and said cam being so constructed and arranged that rotation of said sleeve in a direction opposite to that of free rotation of said winding drum causes said cam to engage with said pawl and to disengage the latter from said teeth and subsequent rotation of said winding drum in its normally free direction will cause said sleeve and said cam to rotate thereby disengaging said cam and said pawl, a circular cleat secured to said sleeve and having the same axis of rotation as said sleeve, said cleat being adapted to hold a line so that tension upon said line may be used to actuate said releasing cam, and a leverage drum integral with said winding drum and rotatable about the same axis as said Winding drum, said leverage drum having a greater diameter than said winding drum.

7. A winch of the character described including a base, a winding drum rotatably secured to said base, a leverage drum secured against rotation relative to said winding drum and having a diameter greater than that of said winding drum, a circular jam cleat secured against rotation relative to said leverage drum, ratchet means associated with said base and with said drums normally preventing rotation of said drums in one direction, ratchet releasing means, and a second circular jam cleat actuating said ratchet releasing means upon rotation in a direction opposite to that of the direction of free rotation of said drums; said winding drum, said leverage drum, said cleat, and said second cleat all having the same axis of rotation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 311,370 Richardson Jan. 27, 1885 2,742,261 Arnold Apr. 17, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 17,564 Norway e Feb. 8, 1907 

